Days of Future Past
by Oniko
Summary: The well takes Kagome a little too far into the past. Kagome/InuT
1. Prologue

Future Past  
by Oniko

"Inu Yasha!" Kagome yelled as she hauled herself, and her overloaded backpack, up the vine encased well. Her backpack was filled to bursting with ramen, ramen, and more ramen, oh and some crayons for Shippou, but mostly ramen for Inu Yasha. "Stupid dog, never around when you need him," she muttered under her breath. Almost to the top, she braced herself and took a deep breath. Ignore her would he?

"Inu YA-ShaaaaAAAh!" Her call turned into a scream as the vine snapped in her hand, and she started toppling backwards down the well. The start of a long, though familiar, fall was halted by the grasp of a clawed hand on her wrist. She almost cried in relief as her savior helped her climb up to the lip of the well. Not that it would do for him to know, it was Inu Yasha's fault that she was in this predicament in the first place. Drawing her anger around herself like a mantle, she turned to him. "Where the hell… have… you… uh-oh."

Her erstwhile savior was not Inu Yasha. He was a dog demon though, that is, if the gold-yellow eyes and moonlight hair where any indications. Without conscious though Kagome opened her mouth and, "Who are you?"

He raised a single eyebrow. "Lord Inu Yasha." He answered; she could feel his deep baritone voice through her bones.

"No, you're not." She said. His other eyebrow lifted to join the first. "Seriously, who are you?"

Now both eyebrows dropped down. "As this Inu Yasha has informed you," he growled reminding her oddly of Sesshoumaru, especially with that derogatory inflection on the 'you.' "I am the Lord of the Western Lands, Lord of the Dogs and General of the Emperor's Armies. And who, little human, are you to address me?"

"I… ah…" Kagome stammered out, feeling completely tongue tied and at a loss as each title hit her in the gut like a load of bricks. Now it was obvious, she could see the similarities to both Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru. The demon who had pulled her from the well was none other then Inu Yasha's father.

She stammered out a few more incoherent syllables. The demon in front of her cocked his head to one side and looked at her curiously, exactly like Inu Yasha's did on occasion, and asked, "Izayoi?"

She stared at him, eyes wide open in horror. "No!"

... ... ...

AN: This scene, and sadly only this scene has been stuck in my head for a while, but I thought I'd post it for the giggles. I know it's fanon for Inu Yasha's father to be named Touga, but I thought the two looked so much alike it would be interesting if they shared the same name, and that could be why the name was never mentioned.


	2. Chapter One

**Days of Future Past**

By Oniko

_Chapter One_

"And so the evil Naraku was destroyed, the Jewel completed and Inu Yasha made his wish to control his demon blood to be strong enough to protect his friends," Kagome concluded with a flourish to her captive audience. "I was going back to see everyone when the well sent me back seven hundred years instead of five hundred. I could still go back home, but it kept sending me here instead of to my friends. And I guess since Inu Yasha never turned up, it must be screwy for him, too. I was checking to see if the well was fixed yet when I saw some demons harassing a couple of monks. I never go anywhere unarmed anymore so I made quick work of the little buggers, but then the monks jumped _me_ and I woke up locked in here with you guys."

The other three _miko_, all dressed in the traditional white kimono with crimson _hakama_, stared at her with shell-shocked expressions. It belatedly occurred to her that when they asked for her story they didn't mean the _whole_ thing.

"So, why are we in here anyways?" She asked, hoping to jumpstart someone's brain.

Kasumi blinked at her (the rest were apparently still in shock) and said slowly. "We don't know."

"Really?" Kagome asked. "That's weird. Villains _always_ brag about what evil things," she wiggled her fingers dramatically, "they are planning to do to you. I think it's compulsory."

"But they're monks," Natsumi objected. Natsumi was Kasumi's twin; their only distinction being that Natsumi was sitting on the left side of the pair

"So? They're still people and can be just as evil as anybody else." Kagome pointed out.

"B- but," Natsumi spluttered.

"Kagome is right, little one," said Reiko, the last member of their impromptu little party and an elderly woman. She was the twin's tutor and they had been out in the woods for a lesson on medicinal plants when they were captured. "A person's nature may not be so easily discerned from their appearance or occupation. I have known _samuri_ who are the most peaceable men, and _eta_ who are the most honorable. You must learn to-"

"Aw, _baba_," Natsumi whined. "We don't need any lessons now. We need to get out of here."

"Now, Natsumi," Kasumi chided gently. "It is in times of duress when we will most need our lessons."

"She's right about one thing," Kagome interjected. "We do need to get out of here, before we find out the hard way what these crazy monks are planning." She jumped to her feet and smacked her closed fist into her open palm. "Okay! What have we got?" The monks had taken her bow and arrows, and she hadn't even thought of bringing her monstrosity of a bag for what was just supposed to be a quick peek over the other side of the well, but they didn't bother searching her for anything else. "I've got a telescopic nightstick, mace, and… a cell phone? Hm, thought I left that at home," She tucked the cell phone back into her bra.

"Hey," she objected at the incredulous stares from the three women, "when you've been abducted as many times as I have, then you'd find unobtrusive places to stash things too. So, what have you guys got?"

The twins shifted uneasily for a moment before Kasumi pulled out a small pouch and a couple of small carved containers. "I have some herbs for the care of small wounds and," here she blushed brightly, "make up."

"Going to Kyoto are we," Natsumi asked slyly, and Kasumi blushed even harder.

"Natsumi," Reiko chided. "Leave your sister be."

"Well, I have," Natsumi pulled out a fan of papers triumphantly from her sleeve. "_Ofuda_ and my pendulum."

"A pendulum?" Kagome asked. "What's that for?"

"Dowsing," Natsumi answered smugly, "What have you got, _baba_?"

"Only my prayer beads," Reiko said drawing out a long loop of wooden beads so old the varnish had worn down in places, capped with a single bright pearl.

"Not bad. Could be better, but, hey, could be worse right?" Kagome said cheerfully. A light flick of her wrist and the nightstick snapped out to its full length. She used it to tap around the walls of their prison. "Sounds as solid as it looks. Why doesn't anyone build secret passages and trick doors; they're in all the video games." She reached the door and carefully examined it. "Hinges on the outside… only locks on the outside too… wood's solid… okay, we're screwed." She laced her fingers behind her head and stared up at the wooden ceiling thoughtfully.

"Hey!" she exclaimed and pointed the nightstick at one corner of the ceiling. "Look, water damage!"

The ceiling was too high for her to reach on her own but after a bit of coaxing she talked the twins into giving her a lift up. They formed a wobbly human pyramid with Kagome balanced precariously at the top, one leg held by each twin. The rotted wood crumbled under her onslaught as she poked at it with the heavy point of the nightstick, and she eventually opened up a hole big enough to squeeze through. She laid the nightstick down next to the hole and pulled herself up with Natsumi and Kasumi pushing from below. Light cobwebs brushed her face, and with a shriek she threw herself backwards sending all three girls tumbling into a heap on the ground. Kagome writhed on the ground trying to get the nasty, creepy stuff off of her while the other two girls struggled to disentangle themselves.

"Was it the monks?" Kasumi asked, soft voice trembling.

"Was it demons?" Natsumi asked eagerly.

"No. Worse," Kagome said, shuddering as her skin crawled with the feeling of imaginary legs skittering up and down her body. "Spiders."

"Spiders? That's it?" Natsumi asked.

"So I have a fear of spiders, so what," Kagome asked, giving one last long shudder. "Anyone with any sense is afraid of spiders. They're gross."

Natsumi opened her mouth to speak, but Reiko interrupted. "What was up there, Kagome?"

Kagome stood and brushed the dirt off of her light summer dress. "It was an unfinished attic area under the roof. It's pretty dark but I think I caught a glimpse of a window before I fell. Here, lift me back up."

"Just don't chicken out on us again," Natsumi grumbled, but she laced her fingers together for Kagome to step up into. Together they once again hoisted Kagome up into the access area under the building's roof. Small screened windows at either end of the long narrow building allowed for air and light to filter in but it still took some time for Kagome's eyes to adjust. She leaned down through the hole. "It's a tight fit, we'll have to crawl to the end of the building, to a window and jump down from there. You two help Reiko up. Then we'll…"

"No child," Reiko shook her head. "I'm too old to be clambering around like a monkey in a tree. You girls go and alert Lord Haruka to what mischief had been happening here." The twins cried out dismay but Reiko would not be moved. They even appealed to Kagome, but the old _miko_ wouldn't listen to her either.

"Alright," Kagome said, giving in to Reiko's stubbornness. "Plan B. Reiko takes my mace," Kagome tossed the little plastic dispenser to Natsumi who handed it to Reiko. "If anyone comes in point it in the eyes, see the little red arrow on top? Right there, and pull the trigger, that little hook thing hanging out front...No!" Kagome yelled as Reiko inadvertently pointed it at her face to look at the small contraption. "Don't do that… and try not to be down wind when you spray it. The rest of us, are going to go and we'll get you out of here as soon as possible. Natsumi, you help Kasumi up, and then we'll…"

Kagome trailed off as a flurry of hugs and tears erupted from the three women. Since it didn't seem like they would dry up any time soon Kagome decided to investigate one of the windows. It was a good thing that she did; she found that this side of the building looked out onto a busy courtyard with somber robed monks rushing to and fro. Kagome eased herself backwards, turning around awkwardly in the cramped space.

"Kagome, what are you doing?" Kasumi called, peeking up over the rotted boards. Kagome crawled back towards them as quickly as she could.

"Just doing some recon," she said.

"Here child, take this," Reiko called up and tossed the prayer beads up to Kagome, "for your little weapon."

She caught the beads easily, but stammered out, "it's not really necessary…"

Reiko shook her head. "I've a feeling that you'll be needing them. I hope they serve you as well as they have me."

"If you're sure," she was sure. Kagome wrapped the beads around her wrist before turning to help pull Kasumi up. Kasumi wasn't physically as strong or agile as either Kagome or Natsumi, and being hampered by the voluminous kimono didn't help one bit, but between the two of them they managed to manhandle the girl up into the attic space. Then Kagome reached down to help up Natsumi, lowering most of her upper body down the hole while Kasumi anchored her legs. Eventually all three of them were draped, panting, across the unfinished boards, exhausted but safe. "We can't go that way," Kagome said, waving back towards the window that looked out on the courtyard. She passed the nightstick to Natsumi. "Since you're closest you go that way, make sure it's safe, and then pop out the window covering. We'll be right behind you."

"What if it's not safe?" Natsumi asked in a poor stage whisper.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "If they haven't shown up yet after all that banging and yelling they aren't going to; you don't have to whisper. And if that's the case then we'll think of something else."

They made their way slowly to the far end of the long building. It must have been safe because Kagome could hear Natsumi pounding on the window frame. The crack of wood as the frame popped free was accompanied by Kasumi's startled yelp, and Kagome could hear the scrape of wood on wood as Natsumi dragged the frame inside the attic space with them. Then they were moving, crawling over the wooden slats of the window covering and a short drop to the ground below.

The window let them out to an oddly shaped, but empty, corner of the temple complex. They took a few moments to stretch cramped muscles before ducking down into the crawlspace of a nearby raised building. After a quick bout of soft arguing, they made their way on hand's and knees across the building to crouch down under the steps to the main entrance where they could watch the crowd in the courtyard.

"What are we going to do?" Kasumi asked softly.

"The way I see it, we have two options," Kagome said. "We can either go find this Lord Who-ever like Reiko suggested, or we rescue her ourselves."

"I say we go rescue our teacher," Natsumi declared loudly and was fiercely shushed by Kagome and Kasumi.

"But we're just three untrained _miko_," Kasumi objected. "We need to go for help. Lord Haruka will know how to handle this."

"You're the tie breaker, Kagome," Natsumi pointed out. "What do you say?"

"My gut says to rush in there and break out Reiko," Kagome said slowly as she thought through the problem, ignoring Natsumi's hissed cheer. "But there's a good chance that we'll just get caught again… so, at least one of us needs to get a message out."

"Kasumi can go," Natsumi volunteered. "She wanted to go get help so bad. Plus she has all those boys so wrapped around her little finger they'd jump if she batted her eyelashes at them."

"But I'm afraid to go alone," Kasumi quailed.

"We'll have a better chance at getting Reiko out with two of us to watch each other's back," Natsumi forged on ahead. "Kagome has weapons, and I'm good at barriers, we're the best equipped for a rescue."

"She got a point," Kagome broke in. "Kasumi, I know you're afraid, we all are… shut up, Natsumi…. But this needs to be done. Now do you have any, real, objections to the plan?"

"No," Kasumi sniffed.

"Alright then," Kagome said, "Our best chance at not getting caught again is to make our move when everyone is busy. So we wait until the ritual starts, most of the monks will be inside the temple proper. Kasumi will make a break for the main gate there," to illustrate Kagome pointed across the courtyard to the wide open gate. "Natsumi and I will seal up the temple that should give us plenty of time find the keys, free Reiko, and get the hell out of dodge ourselves. We'll try to catch up with you later Kasumi, but you should focus on getting as far as you can as fast as you can. Got it?"

"Yes!" Both girls exclaimed in unison with Natsumi throwing in a mock salute.

"Say, Kagome," Natsumi asked. "How do you know they're going to be holding a ritual today?"

"Pure deductive reasoning," Kagome said, she held up one hand and began ticking off points. "They are the bad guys. They are monks. Something evil is afoot. Therefore, there will be some evil ritual performed for some nefarious purpose sometime soon." She stretched out on the hard-packed earth. "And furthermore, when it does we will be very, very busy, so I suggest getting some rest while you can."

The twins glanced at each other over Kagome's prone form, in unison they shrugged and settled down one on either side of her.

... ... ...

It seemed like Kagome had just lain down when a ringing gong nearly rattled her brain right out of her skull. The twins were up too looking around groggily. It was considerably darker and Kagome could see the harsh golden glow of torchlight flickering across the empty courtyard.

"It's time," she yelled over the ringing of her ears. "Go, go, go!"

Natsumi moved first, dragging Kasumi out after her. Kagome followed, using the wooden stairs to pull herself to her feet. Kasumi started out, hesitantly crossing the courtyard, but eventually breaking into a run at Natsumi's shooing motions.

"Natsumi," Kagome put her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Give me half of your ofuda. You go that way around the building. I'll go this way. Seal every door and window you find. We'll meet around back and then go get Reiko together. Okay?"

"We should stick together," Natsumi objected, but she divided her small sheaf of papers. "It would be safer."

"But it would be quicker if we split up." Kagome pointed out as she took her share.

Natsumi reluctantly nodded and placed a seal on the temple's door. Her barriers really were impressive; Kagome could feel the immutable power that sealed the doors closed. But she didn't waste any time sticking around, she was already around the corner mentally groaning at the line of windows down the side of the building. Hopefully they had enough of the paper blessings to keep the bad guys busy while they were making a run for it.

She made it around to the back of the temple first. Kagome surveyed the back wall of the building and frowned up at the second story balcony. The door will have to be sealed or this whole thing wouldn't work. Fortunately there was a decorative trellis giving her easy access to the balcony. She was about to seal the sliding door when she felt a touch of dark power that piqued her curiosity.

She slid the door open slowly and silently crept into the room. It was some kind of office or private library. The walls were lined with books and scrolls and a large low desk was buried in papers, but there was nothing here that leapt out at her as being evil or demonic. She padded across the room, following the little tingle of pure evil. The far side of the room had a railing blocking an opening into the room below.

Kagome peeked over the railing, and bit back a scream. The room looked out over an alter and a blood spattered Buddha statue in the room below. A _miko_ knelt with her body bowed back over the alter. She had been ritually cut open from neck to navel, only instead of the normal mess of blood and intestines, some twisted magic had formed an opening to Hell and Kagome could see the blade So'unga on the other side. She could feel the evil sword's hunger reaching out and tugging at her mind. Kagome tore her eyes away from the terrible sight, and found her gaze was locked by that of the sacrificed _miko. _It was Reiko, and she was still alive.

Kagome knew what she had to do; she could read it in the old woman's eyes. She shakily unwound the prayer beads from her wrist and prayed. She wasn't conscious of the words she used, only the will and power that she poured into the beads. They clicked gently as they slid through her fingers, the tension building around her until she released the beads. They flew from her fingers, glowing brightly with her holy powers, and they wrapped themselves around the open gate, sealing it shut. Kagome's eyes stayed locked on Reiko's dying expression of triumph, until her line of sight was blocked.

The abbot glared up at her, a bloody knife in one hand and ceremonial _shakujou_ in the other. Kagome swallowed dryly as an invisible wind stirred his robes and white hair around him. She backed away, eyes fixed on his youthful face and knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was a youkai. She barely avoided the sharp blade that he threw at her with inhuman force, by flinging herself to the floor. Freed from that mesmerizing crimson gaze she scrambled for the balcony door.

She had barely gripped the door to slide it shut behind her when a streak of light flew up from the viewing well and slammed into her, sending her flying back through the balcony railing and to the ground below. By the time her vision cleared of the flashing lights from the fall, she found herself pinned to the ground with the youkai's sandaled foot planted on her chest and very sharp end of the _shakujou_ pressing into her neck as the metal rings jangled discordantly.

"What ever it is you think you have done," he growled dangerously at her. "I will have the Sword of Calamity."

"Be gone, _youkai_!" Natsumi yelled, and he was. Kagome blinked up at the paper ofuda fluttering in the air above her. "Kagome, are you okay?"

"Balcony door, seal it," Kagome rasped out, pointing up with one hand while the other was clasped to her bleeding throat, "before anything else gets out!"

But Natsumi was already climbing up the trellis. The door was shut and sealed without further incident, and Kagome struggled to her feet as Natsumi climbed back down. She held out the mace that Kagome had given to Reiko. "I found this on the ground and Reiko was gone. Kagome, what's going on? Where is she?"

Kagome shook her head and started pulling Natsumi towards the front gate that Kasumi had escaped through. All the while mentally kicking herself for just laying around waiting, while they… "It's too late, she's gone; they got her. Now we have to get out of here."

"What," Natsumi cried out and stumbled in shock, but Kagome just pulled her upright and started running.

"We have to get to Kasumi," she yelled, "before that fake monk finds her on the road."

Natsumi ran.

Together they ran, around to the front of the sealed temple, across the courtyard, past the gate, and down the road. There weren't running for very long, but it was long enough for Kagome to get a stitch in her side and her back to remind her of its recent abuse, when they came across a figure collapsed in the middle of the road. Natsumi flung herself at her twin with a strangled cry, and then both girls were crying and clutching at each other. "I was so scared," Kasumi wailed. "And I didn't know where I was going, and I couldn't run anymore."

Kagome almost collapsed with relief, but she just settled for resting her hands on her knees and catching her breath. Eventually the girls calmed down and turned to Kagome. Steeling herself, she took a deep breath and explained what she saw, and then she braced for the explosion.

Natsumi yelled and raged at her, blaming her for Reiko's death. Kagome was able to weather the girl's temper fairly well; she wasn't saying anything that Kagome hadn't already thought. Kasumi's quit tears were harder to handle, and Kagome found herself on the ground hugging the girl to her and mumbling apologies over and over.

Natsumi, finished with her furious pacing, dropped to the road next to them. "What do we do now?" Even her voice sounded drained and emotionally dead.

"We?" Kagome asked, sounding just as exhausted, but still a little surprised at her inclusion.

"You're going after that _youkai_, aren't you?"

"Yeah," Kagome said slowly, hesitantly.

"Well, then." Natsumi said, as if that explained everything. "We're going with you and we're going to get that bastard that killed our teacher. So, what's the plan?"

Kagome blinked at her. Plan? She was too tired to think. "Sleep," she mumbled under her breath as she realized how truly tired she was after all of that running and fighting and casting mystical seals. "First, we get off the road and get some rest," she said, and stood to put her words to action. "Tomorrow, we'll go over our options."

Beyond the open road was mostly untouched primeval forest. Kagome lead them just beyond the green line and lay down on the soft, warm loam. The twins lay down at her back with Kasumi protectively between them.

Kagome lay awake long after the other girls fell into a deep sleep. As tired as she was her twitching muscles and agitated brain conspired to keep her awake. Her restless mind kept leaping from one topic to another. She kept coming back to the sword, So'unga. She didn't know the origins of the blade. But she did know that Inu- Inu Yasha's father carried it, even though she couldn't remember him actually having carried it when they met at the well. Which, of course, he wouldn't have if the sword she saw really was So'unga.

She frowned and curled up on her side, trying to find some, marginally, more comfortable position. It was weird to think of _that daiyoukai_ as Inu Yasha. Inu Yasha was her friend, not some Dog King or whatever. "Focus, Kagome," she muttered to herself. Myoga had said that Inu Yasha's father was the only one strong enough to control the sword, or had that been Saya… her brows furrowed as she tried to remember where she had heard that particular piece of trivia. She shook her head. Not important, what was important was that at some point Inu Yasha… Senior? No, that sounded dumb… _that demon_ would at some point have a run in with the idiot trying to bring So'unga into this world. "Crap," she said as she realized that she was going to have to find _that ddaiyoukai_ again. The word didn't seem to fully express her feelings on the matter so she tried out a different one. "Fuck." Yes, that was much better. She decided to say it once again with more feeling. "Fuck!" She was asleep before she could ponder a third recitation.

... ... ...

"Kagome! Why didn't you tell us you were hurt?"

"Huh?" Kagome awoke to Kasumi's cry. She looked down at her hand that was streaked with dried blood. "Oh, yeah… I forgot?" Kasumi made a disparaging noise. "It's just a scratch," she winced, now she really was sounding like Inu Yasha.

"Natsumi, find us some good clean water," Kasumi ordered firmly, sounding not at all like her usual soft-spoken self.

Natsumi nodded and brought out her pendulum, a heavy quartz crystal that hung from a length of chain almost a meter long. She held it out by the tail end of the chain with the stone swinging just above the ground, her other hand was brought up over her heart, fingers curled in prayer. They watched as the pendulum swung around and eventually settled into a steady back and forth sway pointing off to their left. "This way."

They followed as Natsumi lead them through the woods eventually arriving at an old decrepit shrine that looked like it had been abandoned for years. The shrine's overgrown courtyard contained a covered well. Kagome and Natsumi fought to remove the lid while Kasumi, who had objected to Kagome doing any heavy lifting but had also capitulated when Natsumi couldn't move the lid by herself, went to find something to use as a rope; the bucket left by the well was still sound but the rope had rotted.

By the time Kasumi returned with a length of braided vines, the other two girls had managed to force the lid open far enough to drop the bucket through. The water they pulled up was clean and clear. Kasumi used a torn swatch of her kimono to scrub at the cut on Kagome's neck, scraping off the scab and digging at the little pieces of dirt that had gotten embedded in the wound during the night.

Kagome grit her teeth at the painful process. She knew it was for the best; a wound, even a small one, getting infected was pretty much a life sentence back here. Kasumi drew out the small bag and poured a mixture of herbs into her open palm. This was mixed with water until it formed a paste and was spread thickly on the cleaned cut.

"This will dry and act as a bandage until the cut may heal of its own accord and then will flake off," Kasumi explained, while she washed her hands of the remainder of the mixture. "It will protect the wound from infection, but we must watch for heat and redness to be safe."

"Now that that's finished," Natsumi said. "What's the plan?"

"The problem is…" Kagome starten, then stopped. She sighed and tried to think of where to start. "The problem is I don't have any clue who that youkai was nor how to find him, but," she hurried to add at their dejected looks. "I recognized the Sword of Calamity, So'unga." She explained how So'unga had been sent to her time and how Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru had banished it working together with the swords forged from their father's fangs.

"So, if we can find your friend's father," Natsumi asked, grasping the answer almost immediately. "He will take us to the youkai."

Kagome nodded, "that's the plan."

"Do you know where he is?" Kasumi asked.

"I don't, but…"

"I can find him," Natsumi cut in, adding proudly. "Water's not the only thing I can go dowsing for." Before anyone could protest she whipped out her pendulum, whispering swift prayers under her breath as the heavy stone spun erratically in her eagerness. She pointed off in the direction of the gradually steadying swing. "That way."

"Okay," Kagome shrugged. "I guess we go that way."


	3. Chapter Two

**Days of Future Past **

By Oniko

_Chapter Two_

The three girls paused as they crested the hill and stared at the city laid out before them

The three girls paused as they crested the hill and stared at the city laid out before them. They had been traveling for what seemed like forever, living off of what edible plants Kasumi could recognize and the generosity of strangers. Or the occasional Miroku, but for some reason only Kasumi could pull it off. No one believed Kagome when she told them there was an "ominous cloud" hovering over their house, and Natsumi usually just lost her temper and threatened them into letting the girls stay. They also worked for barter to get some of the things they needed. Kagome had won a bow in exchange for exterminating a troublesome _bakeneko_, she had tried very hard not to think about Kirara while she did the dirty deed, but having the weapon reassured her immensely. Though it had proved to be largely unnecessary, as neither human bandits nor demons seemed to be very prolific and they were able to travel un-harassed. It had been explained to her that anyone able-bodied enough to swing a sword or raise a claw against another had either been killed during the Mongol invasion or drafted to one of the armies fighting for the Imperial Throne.

"Kasumi," Natsumi turned to her sister and chided her loudly. "Stop it!"

"What did I do?" Kasumi asked confusion etched on her features. They may have been identical twins, but the moment either one of them opened her mouth it was obvious who was who.

"Your perverted daydreams are interfering," Natsumi declared. "Why else would we be heading straight for Kyoto? No, no, don't tell me you haven't been thinking of Ken-i-i-chi," she dragged out the name in a sing-song voice. "I've seen your far away looks, I've…"

"Girls, girls!" Kagome cut in, pushing herself between them. "Kyoto is not an unreasonable destination. We'll just…"

"What kind of demon is he to live in the capital city?" Natsumi demanded sounding shocked and scandalized.

"Er, well, he is the Lord of Dogs," Kagome said, and then hesitantly added, "and he did claim to be the General of the Emperor's Armies."

Both girls stared at her in shock, then, "Kagome!" "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Now we all know." Kagome shrugged, and hastened to change the topic. "Let's get going, I can hear a bath-house calling my name."

"Ha! I don't need to dowse for that water," Natsumi said cheerfully. "Race you!" She cried, tagging Kasumi and taking off.

Kagome turned to Kasumi, "you're not just going to take that are you?" Laughing, they raced after Natsumi, dodging around laden carts and other traffic that shared the road.

... ... ...

"I have died and gone to Heaven," Kagome sighed as she sank into the steaming hot bath. It had taken them a while to find a bath house that would take pity on the three road weary, and dead broke, _miko_. Most were far too urbane to accept anything other then money. They finally found one, an out of the way place where business was obviously flagging, that was willing to give them a bath _and _have their clothes cleaned, Kagome's poor sundress had definitely seen better days, for a blessing.

"Kagome, do you have any idea how we're going to see your general?" Kasumi asked softly, trying not to wake up the old woman napping across the pool, the bath house's only paying customer.

"He's not _my_ anything," Kagome snapped, a little too quickly. "And, no, I have no idea."

"Kasumi's Kenichi is a lieutenant in the Imperial Army," Natsumi pointed out cheerfully.

"Natsumi, stop it," Kasumi blushed.

"So, what's the deal with this guy?" Kagome asked, this not being the second, or third or even fourth, time the name had been mentioned, she was curious.

"The Imperial Army was practicing maneuvers last year in Haruka," Natsumi explained. "Kenichi got shot…"

"It was an accident," Kasumi broke in.

"…in the ass," Natsumi concluded with an evil grin. "Kasumi played nursemaid for about a week and they were all over each other. It was disgusting, not at all proper for a _miko_." She smiled when she said it.

Kasumi growled at her. "Kenichi was never anything but honorable!"

"Not for lack of trying on your part," Natsumi teased.

"Natsumi," Kagome said, trying to head her off "would he be willing to help us?"

Natsumi shrugged, "I don't know, but he did seem pretty serious about Kasumi."

"Kasumi?"

"He…" she blushed. "He said he was going to ask Father for permission to court me, and… and I would like to see him again."

"Well, then," Kagome said, leaning back against the edge of the pool. "That settles that. As soon as we're done here, well go see Kasumi's boyfriend."

Easier said then done. It took several hours for their clothes to be returned. The owner was happy to provide food and simple _yukata _to wear while they waited. Kagome felt a little guilty taking advantage of the middle-aged couple that ran the bath house, and resolved to put as much _umph_ into the blessing as she could manage.

The ceremony itself was elegantly simple. Natsumi paced the building with a censer they had picked up on the road burning with incense provided by the bath house owners. Kagome and Kasumi followed chanting prayers that would remain unchanged for centuries, with the owners solemnly bringing up the rear. They walked though the entire building and around the outside asking the gods for wealth and good fortune, at the end the ash and the remainder of the unburned incense was poured into a larger stationary censer in the small shrine in the bath house's foyer. That done, they said their goodbyes and headed out to find the Imperial Army's garrison.

The garrison was easy enough to find, the couple that owned the bath house were more then happy to give directions, especially when they learned about Kasumi's "fiancé." And getting in wasn't terribly difficult either, although if one more person did a double-take at Kagome's hemline they were going to get an arrow shoved up their nose.

"Kasumi, you're safe," a surprising bland-looking young man came out to greet them. He latched on to Kasumi's hand with both of his and held it to his heart, looking for all the world as though he would never let go. "I heard such terrible things from your father; that you had disappeared."

Kasumi nodded, tears welling up in her eyes, "It _was_ terrible, we were kidnapped and…"

At the "we" Kenichi noticed that Kasumi had not come alone, he smiled bemusedly at Kagome and Natsumi. "Please," he said, waving them towards the room he had dashed out of without once releasing Kasumi. "Come, sit down and tell me what happened."

The room was sparsely furnished, a desk in one corner with brushes and paper lined up with military precision and a sand-table in another with painted wooden markers lined up in formation. There were no pillows for comfort and the plain wooden flooring was worn but well cared for. They settled down, with Kasumi next to the young lieutenant, and the other two girls across from the couple. Kasumi tearfully told their story about being kidnapped, about Reiko's death, and the _youkai_ who was attempting to summon the Sword of Calamity.

Kenichi gave Kagome a sharp look, and Kagome had to mentally reassess the lieutenant; he wasn't as stupid as he looked. "And you are sure that the General has this sword?"

"Not now, but he will."

"Kagome is a great oracle," Natsumi cut in, and Kagome blinked in surprise. "She knows these things."

"What are you doing?" Kagome hissed at the other girl.

"We don't have all week to go through the whole story," Natsumi hissed back, fortunately Kenichi was too preoccupied with reassuring Kasumi to notice.

"Of course a detachment will be sent immediately to investigate these monks," he was saying. He looked up at Kagome and Natsumi. "Was there only the one _youkai_?"

"I only saw the one, all the other monks looked human," Kagome shrugged. "At least the two that jumped me didn't set any alarm bells off."

Natsumi nodded. "It was the same with us."

"I will write up the orders immediately, and, I will take your request to my superior, personally," he said, and hesitated. "I do not know when, or even if, I can secure a meeting with the General. I will send a messenger to you, where are you staying."

"We came to see you right away," Kasumi said. "We haven't found a place to stay."

"Ah, may I suggest the Inn of Parting Blossoms?" he asked. "It's a good, clean place…" He rattled on a moment about the virtues of the inn while the three girls shifted uncomfortably. It was Natsumi who broke down and said it first.

"We can't afford it," she said, attempting to be diplomatic.

"Its prices are very reasonable," he assured them.

"Fine, we're broke," Natsumi said bluntly, at his blank look she added slowly. "We have no money."

"None?"

"None, what-so-ever," she confirmed.

"I… see," he said slowly, going quiet and thoughtful, before snapping his fingers and rummaging around in a drawer in the desk behind him. He drew out a pouch that jingled with the sound of heavy coins and pressed the bag into Kasumi's hands. "Here, take this."

She peeked in the bag and gasped. "Kenichi, I can't it's too much." She tried to pass the bag back to him, but he wouldn't have it.

"I… was saving it to," he stammered and blushed, looking away from Kasumi. "I was going to give it to your father… but since you need it…"

"Wait," Kagome blinked as she worked through his disjointed statements. "You were going to bribe her dad?"

He blushed even harder and inspected the floor. Kasumi, also slightly pink, explained to Kagome, "Father says I can't marry because he can't afford a dowry for me or Natsumi, that is why we were sent to the shrine in the first place. Kenichi was saving his pay to send to Father. We were hoping that if he saw that it didn't matter to Kenichi that I didn't have a dowry, he would give us his blessing."

"Wouldn't it be easier just to elope?" Kagome asked. They blinked at her. "You know, get married without his permission?"

Kasumi looked horrified but Kenichi looked thoughtful, and Kagome had the sinking feeling that she might have really stuck her foot in it this time. Fortunately, Natsumi came to her rescue.

"Kenichi, I think that is a great idea," she said plucking the bag of coins from between the two lovebirds. "Where did you say this inn was again?"

They got their directions. They pried Kasumi away from her boyfriend with promises that they would hear from him soon and were on their way. The inn was everything that Kenichi said it was, except for one little detail that must have slipped his mind. It seems that has the inn regularly served the enlisted members on their leave, and they offered the full range of "services" to all their customers, now including the three of them.

Kasumi blushed, Natsumi looked outraged, and the innkeeper hastened to add. "Of course we have boys too, if you would prefer."

"No, no," Kagome said firmly, secretly planning to kill Kasumi's boyfriend when she wasn't looking. "Just the room, will be fine. Pay the man, Natsumi…. Any day now," she said impatiently then muttered under her breath, "the less I see of this guy the better."

They were lead to their room by a young woman in a light _yukata_ who gave them a sly knowing look before Kagome slid the door shut on her face. "Well," she said. "That was embarrassing."

"I can't imagine Kenichi had any idea…" Kasumi protested.

"Doesn't matter," Natsumi interjected while inspecting the single futon before collapsing down onto it. "No fleas, the place is clean. I doubt that we would do better ourselves even with Kenichi's bride price here."

"It's not…" Kasumi stammered and flushed.

"You mean you're not going to marry him?" Natsumi asked with an exaggerated scandalized expression. "Just take the money and run?"

"What? No!" Kasumi cried.

"So you _are_ going marry him? Without Father's permission?"

"That's not…" Kasumi said, painfully flustered by Natsumi's teasing.

"Natsumi, be nice," Kagome said, feeling a little sorry for Kasumi being backed into a corner like that. She settled down by the window to watch the traffic on the street below. "We'll give Kenichi a few days to cut through any red tape his way, then we'll find the general our way."

"I just had a thought," Natsumi said as she stared thoughtfully up at the ceiling from her supine position on the futon. "I found your general, so I could have found this _youkai_ the same way."

"I know," Kagome said, not looking away from the window.

"You knew? Well why didn't you say anything?"

"Because, I didn't like our chances with this guy," Kagome said. She had spent a lot of time thinking about this after discovering Natsumi's talent, Going for the idiot directly would certainly save her from- she cut that thought off in its tracks before it could go too much further. She was not Izayoi, she just wasn't. So, it wasn't even an issue. "He was passing as a monk, with real monks all around him. That place didn't _feel_ evil until he opened a portal to the sword."

"So?" Natsumi interrupted belligerently. Kasumi just listened raptly her gaze darting between the two of them.

"So, he obviously has some kind of tolerance for sacred power," Kagome replied, matching Natsumi's tone. "The three of us, alone, would be screwed. We need a _youkai_ and a powerful one at that. If this guy thinks that he even has a chance a controlling So'unga, then he's not going to be just some little push-over."

"And you're sure this general of yours will help us?"

"He's not _my_ general," Kagome glowered at Natsumi, feeling irrationally defensive. "What bug crawled up your butt? Going after Kasumi, and now me. Knock it off!"

Natsumi growled back at her, but it was Kasumi who cut off the burgeoning argument. "Wow, you two are scary when you get going."

They had almost reached Kagome's self imposed deadline when a message from Kenichi finally turned up. They could see the general, if they could get to the barracks, _right now_. Having had nothing to do for the past three days but snipe and snap at each other, they were more then ready to go. Kenichi, groomed and decked out in formal military regalia, met them at the entrance to the barracks. He frowned briefly at Kagome's sundress. "Couldn't you..?"

"No," she told him before he finished his question. She liked her dress. There was nothing wrong with her dress, other than the fact that it was the only thing that she had worn for the past two weeks but that was beside the point. She liked short skirts and pink dresses and she was going to wear them, dammit.

He looked surprised at her vehemence, but wisely decided to move on. "The general is a very powerful _inugami daiyoukai_," he told them as he led them down the hall. "He may seem good natured, but he is known to have a lightning fast temper. Even though he is a demon you must show proper respect at all times, no matter what he says or does."

Kagome rolled her eyes at his warnings, she didn't back down for either of his sons she wasn't going to back down for him. She was about to say something to that effect, but there was no more time, they were there.

At the far end of a large formal hall, the General lounged, in full armor of all things, on an almost throne-like chair. They must have come in on the tail end of some meeting because there were other military officers, both human and demon, milling about in scattered groups around the room, and servants were working at removing large sand table from the center of the room. The General noticed their entrance almost immediately, his head snapped up and she could see him scenting the air.

"My Lord Inu Yasha," Kenichi stepped forward.

Kasumi gasped softly and both the twins turned to Kagome. "Is he?"

"No, he's not _my_ Inu Yasha," she hissed sharply at them, hoping that Kenichi's introduction would cover her words.

"…Lady Kasumi, Lady Natsumi, and the oracle, Lady…" Kenichi indicated her with a flourish, and the General's lips curved into a wicked smile.

"Izayoi," the General said, interrupting Kenichi.

"That is not my name," Kagome growled out from between clenched teeth. "It's Kagome. Shall I spell it out for you? Ka…"

He waved his hand in dismissal. "Boring, I'd never remember it." He smiled at her; he had that look Inu Yasha would get when he was about to something he knew would piss her off and thought he could get away with it. Annoying dog-demons were too clever for themselves by half. She needed a set of charmed prayer beads for this one too. And he said, in that deep, smooth voice, "So, what can I help you with, Lady _Izayoi_?"

"I'm not," she was cut off as Natsumi kicked her, hard, in the ankle.

"Forgive us, Lord General," Kasumi said sweetly, "but we need your aid. We have just escaped from the clutches of a terrible _youkai_. He had…" She went through their story, once again from the top, during which they were provided with soft cushions so that they may kneel comfortably on the stone floor. At the end of the story the General was silently thoughtful for a long time examining their earnest expressions, except for Kagome who was still working on 'sullen.'

"You are asking me, a _demon_," he said slowly and carefully, "to take you three _miko_, a _demon_'s mortal enemy, to go kill _another_ _demon_? What is to stop me from joining with this other one and killing you three?"

Kagome snorted, not bothering to hide her opinion of that idea. "Because, you aren't stupid," _annoying, yes; stupid, no. _"That sword is dangerous, doubly so in the hands of a weak willed _youkai_. It will destroy everything if left to its own devices. You won't kill us, because we know how to stop it."

"But, you will trust _me_ with it?" He asked incredulously. "Why?"

Kasumi and Natsumi looked back to her. "Because, you are the only one strong enough to control it."

"Why do you need me to control it if you are only going to destroy it?"

"I didn't say we were going to destroy it," she pointed out. "In fact, I believe that the sword may truly be indestructible. I said that we knew how to stop it."

"What if I don't wish to?" he leaned back and propped his chin on one hand.

"You will," she said confidently.

The twins looked back at the General; he had both eyebrows drawn down in thought. "Why do…"

"Oh for god's sake," she snapped, fed up with the questions. "The demon killed their teacher, would it kill you to let us stay with you until you come across this guy?"

"You are so sure I will find this _demon_ of yours?" At her adamant nod he pointed out, "Three _miko_ with a _daiyoukai_ is fairly unusual."

"I'll keep company with an _oni_ if it means getting this bastard," Natsumi said. Fortunately, the General seemed to find this funny. He let out a thundering, barking laugh. Kagome couldn't help but wonder if Inu Yasha would laugh like his father, but then, where would he have learned to laugh so freely.

"When put so charmingly, how could anyone possibly refuse?" He asked after he sobered. He gave her a strange look through half-lidded eyes; Kagome wondered if he could smell her sadness. "But," he said all trace of humor gone from his voice, "It will not be so simple. I am needed to lead the armies against the pretenders to the throne, not go haring off on a whim…"

"We're not asking you to _go looking_ for this _youkai_," Kagome interrupted. "He will find you."

"You have seen this?"

Kagome blinked at him, momentarily forgetting that Natsumi has been telling everyone that she was an oracle. She shrugged. "I know that the sword will end up into your hands. How you actually receive it, I don't know; but it seemed the best of bad chances on finding the demon that killed Reiko."

He nodded thoughtfully. "You may come, but," he added sharply, "There are conditions. One, you will aid us; healing any injury after battle and participating in the battle if it calls for it. Two, you" he pointed to Kagome, "will marry me."

There was a long pause as Kagome questioned whether or not she actually heard that. Kasumi's shocked gasp followed by Natsumi's outraged cry confirmed to Kagome that, yes, he did in fact say what she had thought he said.

"How dare you?" Natsumi cried. "She is a _miko!_ Married to a _daiyoukai! _Sacrilege!"

"I have no doubt she is a powerful oracle, as you suggest," he said smoothly. "But she has obviously eschewed the more traditional role of a _miko. _This marriage would be a necessary component to your safety by explaining your presence to the troops as my wife's attendants. I am afraid that they are not terribly bright at times, and would make unwise assumptions otherwise," he shook his head in mock sadness. "I would hate to be forced to execute a soldier because he mistook a _miko_ for a camp follower."

"Well, wouldn't your troops think it strange that you brought your wife along?" Natsumi demanded, trying to find some fault in his logic.

"Not at all," he shrugged. "It's not unheard of for an officer to bring a lesser wife on campaign to keep his bed warm."

Kagome stood up, her entire body rigid. "I am sorry, my Lord General," she said quietly, her voice cold and sharp, "to have wasted your time." She spun on her heel and stormed out of the room with the twins following close behind.

She made her way blindly to the Inn of Parting Blossoms with Kasumi murmering apologies in her wake. Once safely ensconced in their room, Kagome released her tight control on her temper. She opened her mouth to yell, scream, shout insults, something, only to find that nothing would come out. She had no words to put to the churning mass of emotions inside of her. Instead she took her customary place by the window and looked out over the streets, defeated.

The twins glanced at each other nervously, each silently daring the other to say something. Kasumi lost. "Kagome," she asked softly, kneeling beside the girl who had gone so suddenly quiet. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said, her voice muffled by the hand that propped her head up.

"It was a stupid idea," Natsumi said harshly. "Stupid and cruel, you don't have to marry that bastard. If he wants a whore he can pay for one like everyone else."

"Natsumi, language," Kasumi scolded her sister.

Kagome raked her fingers through her hair and looked over at the girls. "I'm sorry guys. I didn't mean to ruin…"

"You have nothing to apologize for," Kasumi quickly assured her, then spoke more slowly as a thought occurred to her. "Besides, the General is not the last authority in the world."

"No, he's just the one that we need," Kagome sighed.

"But," Natsumi said slyly, catching on to Kasumi's meaning. "Even he has to listen to _someone_, it's part of the military hierarch."

"But who?"

"The Emperor," Kasumi said simply.

"What? Are you nuts?" Kagome gaped at her. "How on earth would we even get an audience with the Emperor?"

"The same way everyone else does," Natsumi said jingling their little bag of money. "Bribery. You, however, cannot go before the Emperor dressed in that."

"Quite right," a new voice added from the door.

"Kenichi!" Kasumi cried, launching herself at the young lieutenant who was standing the open doorway.

He gave them a rueful smile as Kasumi ushered him in the room, leaving the door partway open. "I thought I would see how you three were faring," he said. "I am glad that you are not giving up."

"Oh, Kenichi, that is so thoughtful of you," Kasumi gushed. Natsumi and Kagome rolled their eyes.

"So, Natsumi," Kagome said, trying to ignore the syrupy couple. "Do we have enough to bankroll bribes _and_ a nice _kimono_?"

"Maybe," Natsumi weighted the bag thoughtfully. "We can get a _juban_, and a coarse _hakama_, if anyone asks you've taken a vow of poverty…"

"I am _not_ dressing like a _miko_ unless there is absolutely, positively, bottom line, nothing else to wear," Kagome said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Are you not a _miko_?" Kenichi asked.

"Not by choice," Kagome replied with a flat look.

"But, why…" he trailed off as Kasumi threaded one arm through his and shook her head slightly. He straightened and wisely changed directions; Kasumi obviously had his training well in hand. "My sister-in-law's family makes clothes for the court, perhaps we could prevail on them to lend us something for the day."

"Okay," Kagome agreed, at a loss and out of ideas. If only she had known ahead of time what she was in for she would have gone for something else.

"I know where you sleep, Kasumi," Kagome growled at the girl several days later as she wielded a pair of tweezers dangerously close to Kagome's face. "Pluck my eye-brows off and I'll shave you bald."

Kenichi had introduced him to his, very originally named, brother Keichi, who in turn introduced them to his father-in-law explaining that 'the poor little foreign miko was to see the Emperor but had no proper clothing.' The father-in-law practically drooled at the prospect of having one of his designs in front of the Emperor; apparently Kenichi's claim of his in-laws was a bit of an exaggeration. But they did have some very fine clothes available and Kagome was able to take her pick, settling on a formal pink _kimono_ with pastel circles in blue and green.

Now, while Natsumi was confirming their arrangements, Kasumi was helping Kagome to dress and do her make up. Which was were the tweezers came in, apparently it was all the rage for ladies to pluck their eyebrows off- entirely- and replace them with massive smudges of black high on the forehead. Kagome had seen the style in period movies, and personally thought that it looked rather silly.

"But you'll look so pretty," Kasumi wheedled, "like a princess."

Kagome inwardly cringed at the idea. She liked pretty kimonos and geisha dolls, what girl worth her nail polish didn't? But the less she looked like a princess the better; getting to be kind of like Kikyou, that. "No," she said firmly. "I'd look like I had caterpillars on my forehead. Giant, black, fuzzy caterpillars. Eye-brows belong on the brow and mine are going to stay there."

"Aren't you ready yet?" Natsumi exclaimed from the doorway, she was breathing hard as if having run from the palace.

"She won't let me do her make-up," Kasumi said.

"No, I am," Kagome objected. "You're being unreasonable."

"Give me that rice paste," Natsumi snapped. "We don't have time for this, I've managed to get us into the garden at the same time as the Emperor, but we have to hurry." Natsumi scooped up a finger-full of the heavy white base and passed back to Kasumi before expertly swiping a line along Kagome's shoulder. "Just line her brows and be done with it, we can pluck her later if we need to. So what if she looks like a hick."

"There's nothing wrong…"

"Hold still," Natsumi snapped. "If you make me waste any of this…"

Working in tandem they pulled Kagome together. She wished fervently for a mirror and prayed that her hair was okay; it was one of the few things she had been allowed to do herself. Her hair, reaching between her shoulder-blades as long as it was, was still too short for the popular styles of the day. Kagome had twisted it into an up-do and pinned it in place with simple tortoiseshell combs, but try as she might, wispy strands that Kasumi fussed over curled around her face.

"Good enough," Natsumi said. "Done, let's go."

They were let in through a side entrance to the Palace and led through empty corridors to the gardens. The Imperial Gardens were, surprisingly, almost exactly as they had been when Kagome saw them on a school field trip only lacking in the screaming, running children.

"Now, Kagome," Natsumi said while turning her and fussing over the fall of her sleeve. "When he comes, be apologetic, no one is supposed to be in the gardens now."

"What? You're supposed to get us an appointment, not…"

"Don't push," Natsumi rolled right over Kagome's objections. "But do try to engage him in conversation. And try to be polite; you sound like a foreigner sometimes, a crude foreigner."

"I'm not a…"

"Shhh…" Kasumi hissed. "They're coming."

"Oh, god," Kagome groaned as she turned to face the procession that was making its way along the garden path. Any words she might have said flew right out of her head at the sight of them. In all of her time in the Warring States Era Kagome had seen demons both great and terrible. She had even seen lesser spirits and small, very small, gods. But nothing could prepare her for the sight of the Sun on earth. The Emperor was so radiant with the grace of the gods and the bloodline of Amaterasu that she had to look away. Kagome's legs folded dropping her into a deep, if not terribly graceful, bow. "My Lord, I humbly apologize…"

"Ah," the radiant being said, interrupting her stammering apology. "We were wondering when you would be gracing us with your presence Lady Izayoi."


End file.
